Identity: yours, mine, ours explored who we are, who others think we are, and what it means to belong and not belong in Australia. The exhibition focused on how cultural heritage, languages, beliefs, and family connections have, and do, influence our self-perceptions and our perceptions of others. This can lead to discovery, confusion, prejudice and understanding.

Engaging personal stories, intriguing objects, compelling images, and interactive multimedia experiences invited visitors to find both expected and unexpected connections with others, as well as challenge the assumptions we make about each other every day.

The exhibition encouraged visitors (both in the gallery and online) to share their stories, affirm their identities and celebrate diversity in our community.

This exhibition offered an exciting opportunity to bring together and creatively interpret a diverse array of material culture that will often be unexpected in the context of the Immigration Museum. Popular culture, racist and anti-racist ephemera, religious and sporting items, First Peoples historical and contemporary cultural material, and an eclectic mix of artworks are all combined and interpreted to challenge visitors beyond the more conventional narratives of migration. Over 130 objects were drawn primarily from the Museum's History and Technology collections (including the Migration, Cultural Identity, and Numismatics collections). Community and institutional loans relating to particular personal stories are also included, including those exploring First Peoples experiences.

An interactive display explored the theme of First Impressions and incorporated a small number of objects which have either symbolic resonance about diverse forms of visible identities or represent personal experiences of family connection and disconnection.

The theme of Belonging drew upon museum and community objects to explore a variety of personal and collective experiences which cross time and culture - both in inter-cultural and cross-cultural ways. This theme was object rich and eclectic and placed artefacts together in unexpected ways. Moreover the focus on Creativity within this theme provided the opportunity to present a cornucopia of beautiful often thought-provoking artworks which all explore personal identity in ways unique to the experiences and chosen media of the artists. This case featured objects from the Museum's Immigration and Artistic Practice collection while also bringing in new works on loan or purchased by unrepresented communities. Short videos provided further insights into personal and community stories and the related objects, with cultural and faith representation including: Albanian Muslim, Irish, Brazilian, Caribbean, Scottish, Indian Sikh, Wotjobaluk, Naga, Jewish, Vietnamese, Sudanese, Latvian, German, Chinese, Christian Fijian, Greek, Japanese, and Wathaurong.

The final theme of Difference used objects in very different and often confronting ways. A small number of objects provided material representations of theories and politics of race over time within the context of a strong graphic presentation and text-based historical narrative. These items ranged from an early magic lantern slide to an anti-racism protest badge. Another section drew on a familiar array of objects, including toys, games, clothing, advertising material and product packaging, to explore how popular culture has affected the creation and perpetuation of stereotypes and prejudice. Some of these items are clearly racist, while other more subtle objects consider the complexities of intention and interpretation according to the different viewpoints of the producer, target and consumer across time.

This was a long-term exhibition and some objects were changed over time as new stories were represented and some objects that a more fragile items were removed from display and exchanged for new ones.

Both current and past Museums Victoria objects displayed in this exhibition are listed below.

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